Comments on: Software Patents in Europe and Microsoft’s Huge Lobbying Budget as of Late http://techrights.org/2008/05/21/microsoft-lobbying-budget/ Free Software Sentry – watching and reporting maneuvers of those threatened by software freedom Tue, 07 Feb 2012 14:00:35 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: paul http://techrights.org/2008/05/21/microsoft-lobbying-budget/comment-page-1/#comment-10479 paul Thu, 22 May 2008 17:39:45 +0000 http://boycottnovell.com/2008/05/21/microsoft-lobbying-budget/#comment-10479 At one point in my life I felt the same; ie, we're all pitching something. But now I believe that lobbying is corrupt. Pure and simple. Right after we kill all the lawyers, we should kill all the lobbyists. The point is they are promoting their own commercial interest; ie, their primary purpose is profit. Many corporations do NOT care about negative results re the use of their products/services. They feel NO remorse about lying or spreading misleading information. They will deceive and subvert anyone they can to achieve their goals. These organizations are morally deficient and left to their primary purpose of gaining profit will damage society. Further, most corporations are oriented toward short-term gain with no care for long-term implications. Hence the environmental movement. (Re Greenpeace, emphasis on 'mental.') What we are doing on sites like this is _openly_ discussing the issues allowing anyone to read or comment. And hopefully, as a result, informing the people that read the article and comments. An informed society that actually uses its intellect when making purchases, can influence the businesses to make better decisions. Unfortunately, we now have an overwhelming number of people that buy things based on their ego. At one point in my life I felt the same; ie, we’re all pitching something.

But now I believe that lobbying is corrupt. Pure and simple. Right after we kill all the lawyers, we should kill all the lobbyists.

The point is they are promoting their own commercial interest; ie, their primary purpose is profit. Many corporations do NOT care about negative results re the use of their products/services. They feel NO remorse about lying or spreading misleading information. They will deceive and subvert anyone they can to achieve their goals. These organizations are morally deficient and left to their primary purpose of gaining profit will damage society.

Further, most corporations are oriented toward short-term gain with no care for long-term implications. Hence the environmental movement. (Re Greenpeace, emphasis on ‘mental.’)

What we are doing on sites like this is _openly_ discussing the issues allowing anyone to read or comment. And hopefully, as a result, informing the people that read the article and comments. An informed society that actually uses its intellect when making purchases, can influence the businesses to make better decisions. Unfortunately, we now have an overwhelming number of people that buy things based on their ego.

]]> By: Roy Schestowitz http://techrights.org/2008/05/21/microsoft-lobbying-budget/comment-page-1/#comment-10478 Roy Schestowitz Thu, 22 May 2008 17:35:29 +0000 http://boycottnovell.com/2008/05/21/microsoft-lobbying-budget/#comment-10478 Quentin seemed to be trolling here earlier, but regardless, he talks about "talking" which isn't the same as hiring someone to accomplish a mission for some corporation. Quentin seemed to be trolling here earlier, but regardless, he talks about “talking” which isn’t the same as hiring someone to accomplish a mission for some corporation.

]]> By: Almindor http://techrights.org/2008/05/21/microsoft-lobbying-budget/comment-page-1/#comment-10477 Almindor Thu, 22 May 2008 17:22:40 +0000 http://boycottnovell.com/2008/05/21/microsoft-lobbying-budget/#comment-10477 Actually yes, lobbying is corruption made manifest. The "idea" is nice, "talk" to your officials, get them to see your side of the story. Nice in theory. Practice speaks.. money talks (no, not the porn motto). The bigger they are the more they can corrupt. Lobbying is just a nice word translated as corruption these days. Normal people have no way to do anything about it. We're living in a corporatocracy, comments like the above one are either astroturfing or the peak of naivety. Actually yes, lobbying is corruption made manifest. The “idea” is nice, “talk” to your officials, get them to see your side of the story. Nice in theory. Practice speaks.. money talks (no, not the porn motto).

The bigger they are the more they can corrupt. Lobbying is just a nice word translated as corruption these days. Normal people have no way to do anything about it. We’re living in a corporatocracy, comments like the above one are either astroturfing or the peak of naivety.

]]> By: Quentin Crisp http://techrights.org/2008/05/21/microsoft-lobbying-budget/comment-page-1/#comment-10432 Quentin Crisp Thu, 22 May 2008 05:56:31 +0000 http://boycottnovell.com/2008/05/21/microsoft-lobbying-budget/#comment-10432 "In reality, lobbying is so loathed by those who understand the practice and are secretly affected by it. It’s filthy. It’s subversive. It’s almost corrupt." Indeed. We would all be better off if we didn't talk to our elected officials, instead leaving them to form their own opinions on issues regardless of how much they did or didn't understand the arguements, they could research questions using wikipedia if they got really stuck. Are you really suggesting that "talking" is a bad thing and should be frowned upon? What is this site other than part of a lobbying effort designed to get the word out around a cause that you (and others) care a great deal about? “In reality, lobbying is so loathed by those who understand the practice and are secretly affected by it. It’s filthy. It’s subversive. It’s almost corrupt.”

Indeed. We would all be better off if we didn’t talk to our elected officials, instead leaving them to form their own opinions on issues regardless of how much they did or didn’t understand the arguements, they could research questions using wikipedia if they got really stuck.

Are you really suggesting that “talking” is a bad thing and should be frowned upon? What is this site other than part of a lobbying effort designed to get the word out around a cause that you (and others) care a great deal about?

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